Saturday, March 15, 2025

Grand Finale D'Isgny

So for our last week in Orlando, Vicki wanted to visit each of the four Disney parks, especially for the fireworks, but for other things too...

At the Fantansmic (or whatever) at Hollywood Studios, the pond
before the stage really is afire...Disney must burn as much gasoline 
and natural gas as a small state...or country

But Mickey appears ("Here I come to save the day!")(wait, no...)

And, with Nothung or the re-forged shards of Narsil, banishes all evil ("Mit
diesen zeichen bann ich deinem zauber!
")

After his triumph Mickey reappears in his original state, as steamboat
pilot; note that Minnie is relegated to C deck...

The color symbolism much in effect (grayscale suggests the historique...or
perhaps the mythique...don't know quite how this works with cartoon characters)

Mickey In Majesty

Next day we are in EPCOT, or ECPOT, as I like to say, where the
Disney plants and gardens show is in progress



It doesn't take long to discern that Disney gardens are to
gardens as Disney art is to art...

Every now and then something non-Disney intrudes

The fireworks/waterworks/luminworks at ECPOT were surprisingly good, however,
much improved since November




Thursday night we were back at the Magic Kingdom, for the final
extravaganza there



And Friday, we were at the Animal Kingdom, for a last safari; note
belayed human on the bridge above the animals; we've crossed
scores of bridges like these, in Nepal and New Zealand (way higher
and longer), and were never belayed; but, then, a trip to Disney probably
costs more than one to Everest or the adventure capital of the world...

Slow-walking cheetah

Crucificado; or possibly Leonardo pose, on the Gorilla
Walk's research/education center

How can you get so huge just eating plants?

Doesn't appreciate fat-shaming

As crowded as we've seen it...2 hour line to do the safari truck ride...
perhaps 200 yards from the entrance

We've always thought being a Disney designer/procurer would
be interesting work

The day's ultimate goal--they don't do fireworks at Animal
Kingdom--was to see the baby tiger...

So here are our final shots for this campaign

Mama tiger never very far away

Playing like a kitten...

But don't worry: Vicki, Rebecca, and Penelope already are
planning a visit to Disney Paris a couple months from now;
and we'll be back to the same apartment in Lake Buena Vista
for a month next fall for Mickey's Halloween Party; ne baise
pas avec le souris...


Thursday, March 13, 2025

Disney Eats

It would be hard to imagine any place with a greater variety of restaurants and cuisines than Disney/greater Orlando. The hordes of international visitors and Disney's own commitment to a global perspective guarantee this. Of course, everything is Americanized or Disneyfied. But you can find pretty much everything. We self-catered much of the time, as is our want, but also ate out a good bit. Below is a sampling...

We ate twice at Steakhouse 71 in the Contemporary Resort

Best chocolate cake--best cake--ever; thanks, Carole; feeds four

Peking duck at Morimoto's in Disney Springs

A Mickey pretzel



















































































Mickey beignets from the Port Orleans resort
























Extremely decadent banana split at Ghiradelli's in Disney Springs...
one of several over our time here

Unusual Dole whip at Animal Kingdom

More Ghiradelli's

Steak pizzaola...first time I've made it since Columbus

Soft-shelled crab slider from EPCOT

Poutine, from Canada and EPCOT

You saw it first here department: shrimp and grits tom yum...my
own creation...what else are you going to do with leftover tom yum
sauce?...thanks especially to Jason's Best Asian Market in Kissimmee

Interior of the ever-popular Gideon's in Disney Springs

Vicki nibbling on a 1200 calorie Gideon's chocolate
key lime cookie 

My own bouillabaise...shrimp, clams, mussels...

A creme brulee croissant from Gaston's in the Magic Kingdom; feeds four

We had to go back to Morimoto's a 2nd time...always makes me 
think of the Mr. Moto movies...the famous Japanese spy/sleuth series,
starring the Hungarian Peter Lorre...popular B-movies until Japan's
atrocities in China became better known

Among the best Beijing ducks we've had, including China

Perhaps not the origin of the expression, but...this restaurant has its ducks in a row 





Sunday, March 2, 2025

Scenes From Mus Mundi, 2

 More scenes from our Disney visits of 2025...

Vicki likes going to Pandora by night; I think they stole this scene
from Van Gogh



The only non-Disney art I saw at the Festival of the Arts

Seine scene

Florida sunsets are hard to beat

Real men wear Mickey ears

Curly-haired Penelope 

Back in Nepal

Ditto

Snow flukes (anchors), in a shop en route to Mt. Everest...we used to
own some, and actually used one to rescue ourselves while snowmobiling
in Wyoming

What? No lion?! Oh my!

Unprofessional pic of professional

Back on safari



Rhino roadblock

Ostrich eggs...been there since November...

Out for a walk

Newborn otters

More Pandora


Elrond

Unusual under-side view of speeding Monorail approaching
the Contemporary Resort

Fireworks from Contemporary Resort


Intergalactic hero

"To Infinity, and beyond...!"

Well, at least to 999,999...personal best...